The Perfect Small- Medium Sized Brush Truck

Ok all you wildland fire fighters out there, I want to know your perfect idea of a brush truck as far as compartment layouts and controls.

Imagine you were to spec a brush that starts on a dodge 4500 - 5500, or ford f450 - f550.

What would you want to haul in the compartments,
what innovations would you like to see.
what would you like on that truck to make your job easier?
what sort of lighting would you want on the truck, both emergency lighting and scene lighting

give me all the things you have thought about when you have been activly using the truck, a good start would be

"Man, I wish this truck had..."

in my experience I have wanted:

Underbody sprayers, Using front spray booms cuts active fire, but I would think some high pressure under body sprayers would help to get in the dirt.

Tire sprayers, I always fear driving on the fresh hot black will flatten a tire. maybe it wont, but a sprayer in front of the tire might help to calm my fear.

Work lighting, compartment lights: It seems mos the brush trucks i have used lack compartment lighting, or exterior lights. i like being able to see what i am doing.

Organized compartments, basically, compartments built for their purpose. I have sifted though many "tool" compartments to find the long handled tool I wanted.

here's ours

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Our department is building one as i type working with 2009 F350 dully 4x4 with 450 suspention single cab. 4 door cab have a tendency to twist on ruff terrain and then it never quite again doors leak. had alumu bed built by locals.$ saver and weight saver then rino sprayed for traction an cut glare off the bed steps to get on the back .we use a 18hp 150gpm that feeds a 4" header with 6 1" full port valves 2 for front work stations left/right sides walk across. 1 works the 3/4" 200' hose reel. 1 works the front spray nozzle on drivers side in front bumper, switch inside on dash this comes in useful for vol fire dept while waiting for help. 1 for pump circulation ajustable for needs and 1 for forestry hose dont worry about the gpms to much your nozzle will be your controller for useage of water real important.400 gal full baffle tank we carry 300gal for the first run if the ground can handle it we fill it up better to have the ability to carry more when needed. 2" full port valve for quick filling and drafting of truck.two tool boxes 1 on each side boxes have 2 led flood lights in each and doors that swing outward for easy access have under bed lights that light up the area around the truck about 15' still weight under 12.800 with 3 personal on board and tools needed and full tank and please when you buy a 4x4 make it a true 4x4 we had to install a detroit locker in the front NO american truck manufacture offers this so you have to add it and we need it. and please Basic insides nothing fancy OK A/C .VINYL (cloth sucks) work lights on bed that can be controlled by the guys fighting the fire. just my imput OH BUILT FOR $49.862.00

-Dodge 5500 or F550 w/ walk-through bed
-400gallons w/foam tank
-intercom system for communication between personell on the unit
-water curtain on the front bumper(not necessarily a nozzle)
-compartment lighting
-fire line lighting(down low to light up the ground)
-360 scene lighting
-PTO winch in front
-flotation pump somewhere on truck
-maybe an scba or oxygen bottle(incase a ff inhales too much smoke)
-first aid kit
-water can extinguisher
-we ride on the truck(i know your not supposed to) so a firefighter compartment on each side directly behing the cab w/ a whip line at each station with whiplines ling enough for someone riding in cab to be able to use in necessary.
-100' red line hose reel on the rear
-preconnected 1 3/4(stay with what other units(engines) have so to minimize different types of hoses)
-rear tank tump(just in case it has to be utilized to shuttle water)
-2 1/2 inlet
-2 1/2 and 1 3/4 outlets
-place for pump fuel and flotation pump fuel
-tank level indicator and controls in the cab
-external radio speaker for the guys outside the cab to keep up with whats going on
-array of shovels, pitch fork and fire beaters(flappers)
-a spot to throw bunker gear on the truck(we wear wildland gear but also take our structural gear just in case)
-drinking water can(too many departments forget this)
-compatment for spare nozzles, fittings, adapters, etc.
-possibly a chainsaw(we dont carry one on the first out brush truck, but we do have one on the second out and tanker as well as a drip torch)
-road flares for starting backfires

all i can think of for now, may be too much for this size truck, could up it to a 4x4 international with same bed and set up but maybe more water

It may not be "perfect", but this a truck that does exactly what we were after.

I am not sure which one of these trucks your talking about but there are some notible ones. The Hobbs new mexico truck looks like it would get down and dirty with a brush/wildland fire.

I must say, I am not a fan at all of the Full bodied brush rigs that are more of mini pumpers. Where I was firefighting at, that sort of body would last about 1 week... The week we were showing off the new truck to the town... Then we would shurly beat up the underside on rocks and fallen trees on our first wildland call. Plus, looking at them, I think it is just to much weight for even a 550 or 5500.

I like the 550 and Dodge 5500 single cabs just for agility. but it is still easy to overload them. I am not a fan of the chevy 5500 just for size, quality of construction and fuel reasons. I have never been in one that didn't suck down fuel like I suck down a cold beer after a longday at the lake, and the truck I think is oversized for the motor. Quality wise, I think chevy does a fantastic job with there 3500 and smaller trucks, but the 4500 and 5500 I have had many problems with things falling off (mirrors) and falling apart (door handles). I am not wanting to get in a debate about these trucks, just know in my experience I have not liked them, their power, or their fuel economy.

[QUOTE=Recelect;1097255]Ok all you wildland fire fighters out there, I want to know your perfect idea of a brush truck as far as compartment layouts and controls.

Imagine you were to spec a brush that starts on a dodge 4500 - 5500, or ford f450 - f550.

What would you want to haul in the compartments,
what innovations would you like to see.
what would you like on that truck to make your job easier?
what sort of lighting would you want on the truck, both emergency lighting and scene lighting

give me all the things you have thought about when you have been activly using the truck, a good start would be

"Man, I wish this truck had..."

in my experience I have wanted:

Underbody sprayers, Using front spray booms cuts active fire, but I would think some high pressure under body sprayers would help to get in the dirt.

Tire sprayers, I always fear driving on the fresh hot black will flatten a tire. maybe it wont, but a sprayer in front of the tire might help to calm my fear.

Work lighting, compartment lights: It seems mos the brush trucks i have used lack compartment lighting, or exterior lights. i like being able to see what i am doing.

Organized compartments, basically, compartments built for their purpose. I have sifted though many "tool" compartments to find the long handled tool I wanted.

I have more, but I want to hear all your Ideas.[/QUO

weis fire&safety.com We have two 2008 Ford F550's and to my dept.we believe they are the perfact brush truck's

I am not sure which one of these trucks your talking about but there are some notible ones. The Hobbs new mexico truck looks like it would get down and dirty with a brush/wildland fire.

I must say, I am not a fan at all of the Full bodied brush rigs that are more of mini pumpers. Where I was firefighting at, that sort of body would last about 1 week... The week we were showing off the new truck to the town... Then we would shurly beat up the underside on rocks and fallen trees on our first wildland call. Plus, looking at them, I think it is just to much weight for even a 550 or 5500.

I like the 550 and Dodge 5500 single cabs just for agility. but it is still easy to overload them. I am not a fan of the chevy 5500 just for size, quality of construction and fuel reasons. I have never been in one that didn't suck down fuel like I suck down a cold beer after a longday at the lake, and the truck I think is oversized for the motor. Quality wise, I think chevy does a fantastic job with there 3500 and smaller trucks, but the 4500 and 5500 I have had many problems with things falling off (mirrors) and falling apart (door handles). I am not wanting to get in a debate about these trucks, just know in my experience I have not liked them, their power, or their fuel economy.

How many people like and or would use the walkthrough bed?

do you in general like hose reels on the rear?

Thanks for all you comments so far!

As far as the choice of brand of truck, we stray away from the chevy just because the ground clearence is not as much as the others.
As for the walkthrough bed, we ride on our trucks(i know) but in south texas grass fire can consume 50 acres in nothing flat. The walk through bed allows on firefighter to work both sides of the truck in need be.
I dont know why you wouldnt have a hose reel on the truck. We have a whip line at each firefighter station and then a 100' redline reel on the rear. We use it all the time.

I dont know why you wouldnt have a hose reel on the truck. We have a whip line at each firefighter station and then a 100' redline reel on the rear. We use it all the time.

Oh, I would have a hose reel, I was just wondering if people like them on the rear, 1 each side, 1 in the middle, 1 on the bumper etc... We had them 1 each side. I liked it but I never used 1 from the rear, might be easier...

Oh, I would have a hose reel, I was just wondering if people like them on the rear, 1 each side, 1 in the middle, 1 on the bumper etc... We had them 1 each side. I liked it but I never used 1 from the rear, might be easier...

I understand what your talking about now.
On our small "quick attack truck" we put one on the rear, that way it can easily be utilized on both sides. It is mounted on the bed(low next to the pump) to stay out of the way of limbs, brush, etc.
We also have a larger brush rig with more water that has one on both sides.
Also, here is a manufacturing we are considering for our next rig:http://www.blanchatmfg.com/index.php

"I have a dream. It's not a big dream, it's just a little dream. My dream — and I hope you don't find this too crazy — is that I would like the people of this community to feel that if, God forbid, there were a fire, calling the fire department would actually be a wise thing to do. You can't have people, if their houses are burning down, saying, 'Whatever you do, don't call the fire department!' That would be bad."
— C.D. Bales, "Roxanne"

As far as the choice of brand of truck, we stray away from the chevy just because the ground clearence is not as much as the others.
As for the walkthrough bed, we ride on our trucks(i know) but in south texas grass fire can consume 50 acres in nothing flat. The walk through bed allows on firefighter to work both sides of the truck in need be.
I dont know why you wouldnt have a hose reel on the truck. We have a whip line at each firefighter station and then a 100' redline reel on the rear. We use it all the time.

same here nothing like chasing a corn field or wheat field fire. Or better yet a hay field fire. I can almost smell it now.

Over the years, I have encountered wildland trucks with these shortcomings:

-A multipurpose rig that incorporate a squad component resulting in an apparatus that is too large to operate in a woodland environment
-Apparatus that are so "pretty" that the department's can't bear the thought of a tree limb scratching their gold leaf trim.
Water tanks that are too small, requiring a tender to bring in water; which negates the whole strategy of having a wildland rig.